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However, the much more positive perspective on the miracles of Jesus is that they often led to faith (as was their

design). When the man born blind received his sight in John 9, he said, “I believe.” And he worshiped at the feet of

Lame Man Healed

Jesus (John 9:38). When the lame beggar outside the temple was healed, he went out walking and leaping and praising God (Acts 9:8). Such is God’s design for his miracles.

Undoubtedly, the skeptics and unbelievers will persist in denying the presence of miracles. Jesus had his skeptics, as did C. S. Lewis nearly two thousand years later. No one will ever prove the existence of miracles to everyone’s satisfaction, but the believer will hold to their reality with the vehement certainty of a mother who knows her own child. Why?

The believer owes his very own spiritual existence to a miracle. The plainest evidence to the believer of the reality of miracles is his own spiritual awakening to Christ. Jesus tells Nicodemus that this spiritual awakening is a new birth, wrought by God (John 3:3, 21). The Apostle Paul says that faith comes as a gift to the believer who is made alive by God’s hand at work, not as a result of man’s efforts—so that no one may boast before God (Ephesians 2:1-10). Every believer is a walking testimony to the reality of a miracle of grace.

A monthly publication called The King’s Business (published by Biola from 1910 – 1970) once told the story of the atheist Joseph Parker. Upon his visit to a mining town in the north of England, Parker proudly lectured the crowds repeatedly on why it was foolish to believe in God and to believe in miracles. After satisfactorily completing his eloquent refutation of the Christian faith, Parker prepared to leave the crowd to ponder how well he had demolished belief in Christ.

A poor, dirty man in grimy, mining clothes stood up and offered his own simple reply to Parker’s polished unbelief. Reportedly, the man said, “Sir, I’m only a working man, and I don’t know what you mean by the word ‘myth.’ But can you explain me? Three years ago I had a miserable home; I neglected my wife and children; I cursed and swore; I drank up all my wages. Then someone came along and showed me the love of God and of His Son Jesus Christ. And now all is different. We have a happy home; I love my wife and children; I feel better in every way; and I have given up the drink. A new power has taken possession of me since Christ came into my life. Sir, can you explain me?”

Every Christian believer stands as an apt refutation to the skeptic’s denial of miracles.

As a Christian, my greatest joy in life is found in my children who believe. More than any other ambition (besides my own salvation) is my great desire for my family to follow Jesus Christ. I know I am not alone in this desire.

Yet, not every father wants his daughter to follow Jesus Christ. Just this morning, I prayed with a group of men for a young woman in Scotland. The glory of Christ is opening up to her, and now she is in danger of being killed–by her own family. She could be the target of an honor killing.

What would you tell her if you were leading her to Christ? Would you encourage secrecy? Would you encourage boldness? Would you want to avoid the issue of her parents altogether? What do you think you would do? Feel free to answer below.

My good friend Denny Burk has done a great job compiling articles, information, and suggested action concerning Said Musa at his blog, which you can reach by clicking the link above. Thanks, Denny.

We spoke of and prayed for Said Musa during our service today. I am still trying to get an update on his situation. I have not yet found anything updating his status. I have prayed for him, of course. Hopefully, you have, too. This is one of the stories that should be covered but isn’t.

The entire world was in an uproar when a single, fringe pastor threatened to burn a Quran. Do you remember that? General Petraus and even President Obama spoke out against the threat of burning a book. Now, we have a real human atrocity being played out before our very eyes. A man has been tortured, abused, sexually assaulted in prison, unjustly convicted of the “crime” of converting from Islam to Christ, and, now, is likely to be executed by a judge simply because he chose to not to be a Muslim. There have been no statements by the President.

Afghanistan says that they allow freedom of religion, but they are about to kill someone for daring to exercise it. And the world is silent. Leaders are mute.

We have all heard Piper plead with the world and with Christians to not waste their lives.Now, a very different sort of cultural icon is making the same plea.This time, the plea springs from a most unexpected fountain: Korn. You may remember that a few years ago, one of the members of the “nu metal” rock group Korn converted to Christ and left the group.Now, another member has come to Christ.His story is here, and it is well worth the read.

JOS, Nigeria (Morning Star News) – The church elder in Plateau state, Nigeria saw the Muslim Fulani herdsmen storm into his village at 11 p.m. the night of Oct. 13, shooting in all directions. “Every one of us ran to save his life,” Dauda Samuel Kadiya, 38, of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) in Zanwrua, […] The post Christians Recount Terror of Her […]

NAIROBI, Kenya (Morning Star News) – A judge failed to show up at a hearing for a pastor facing accusations of child abuse in a case in Zanzibar that Muslims have kept alive after charges were twice dismissed, sources said. Shortly after charges were filed on the semi-autonomous island off the coast of Tanzania in November […] The post Muslims Target Pastor […]

JUBA, South Sudan (Morning Star News) – In an ongoing bid by the government of Sudan to take over leadership of the Sudanese Church of Christ (SCOC), police on Sunday (Oct. 22) arrested five SCOC church leaders after they refused to comply with an order to refrain from worship, sources told Morning Star News. Police officers […] The post Five Church Leaders […]

JUBA, South Sudan (Morning Star News) – Authorities in Sudan have detained a container of Bibles in Port Sudan without explanation for at least two years, a source said. A Bible Society in Sudan representative told Morning Star News the container was one of two containing Arabic Bibles detained more than two years ago. The other […] The post Port Authorities […]

Just yesterday, my youngest son did something stupid. To tell the truth, his mom and dad often do stupid things, too—daily. But our job is to correct him and help him to be better than we are (which means making him prone to doing fewer stupid things). So we corrected our child. The main way […]